A Well Placed Pawn
by Beledi1113
Summary: Warning–Spoiler Alerts so don't read until after the episode airs if you want to be spoiler free. This is based on reading a review of the press screening of In the Belly of the Beast that didn't reveal the ending, but said it wasn't what the reviewer expected. So this is what would annoy me the most.


A Well-Placed Pawn

Author's Notes – Warning – Spoiler Alerts so don't read until after the episode airs if you want to be spoiler free, but the spoilers are based on my assumption after reading a review of the press screening of In the Belly of the Beast that didn't reveal the ending, but said it wasn't what the reviewer expected so this is what I came up with because this would annoy me the most. We know that Beckett lives through this, so here's my take on an unexpected ending. This is a one-shot. (And yes, I read spoilers and maybe I shouldn't.)

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Shivering, Beckett knelt in the damp grass, staring helplessly, desperately at the gun pointed at her.

"My people will hunt you down and kill you," she bluffed hoarsely, trying to stall the inevitable, the bullet to the brain that would rip away her life in a single shot.

"And I always thought Castle was the dramatic one," said Smith as he walked up to the pair.

Beckett's head whipped around at the sound. Was she so disoriented that she hadn't heard him approach?

"Thank you, Gustav," Smith said to the man who lowered his gun that had been aimed at the detective. "I'll be along in a minute."

Gustav nodded and quickly walked away as Smith knelt down next to Beckett, cut the zip ties holding her hands behind her back, and then stood again.

Beckett stifled a groan as she brought her arms forward, her body protesting the movement. She stood shakily.

"There's a park about ¼ a mile down that path," Smith said, pointing to the cleared area. "The department received an anonymous tip a while ago that they would find you there."

Beckett glanced down the path and then back at Smith as she rubbed her wrists, trying to return circulation to her tingling hands. "Why?"

Smith studied her for a minute. "Why did we rescue you? Or why did this happen in the first place? I assure you, detective, if we had known that it was you they were sending in, we would have stopped it immediately. As to rescue, we find that in certain circumstances, a well-placed pawn can be more powerful than a king."

Beckett shook her head fiercely. "Then you might as well kill me now. I'll never help you," she spat out angrily.

Smith frowned. "We have a common enemy, Detective. The sooner you realize that, the better the outcome will be for you and your family. And murder is such a crude method. We find subtle forms of persuasion more effective – 6 grams of cocaine found in a dorm room, unjustifiable shootings by police officers, medical tests interpreted incorrectly."

The wail of sirens could be heard in the distance.

Smith pointed towards the path. "That would be the Calvary coming to your rescue. I suggest that you not mention our meeting to anyone. We'll be in touch."

Beckett could only stare as the man turned and walked in the opposite direction.

Loud voices calling her name, one in particular, broke the trance that held her frozen in place, driving her into action as she sought the arms she thought she'd never feel around her again. She could hear the panic in his voice as it boomed through the forest, the same panic she had heard when they had broken down the door of the apartment across the street from the loft, when Castle had thought she was going to be killed. But that had been a well-staged prank, the total opposite of the dangerous life-threatening situation she had just found herself in and had been helpless to escape from without outside intervention.

"Castle…" Her voice came out in a raspy whisper as she turned and stumbled down the path towards the lights. She steeled herself, took a deep breath into her aching lungs and forced the sound out of her aching throat. "Castle!" Beckett yelled. "I'm here," she sobbed. "Castle!"

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"Beckett!" Castle yelled as he leapt out of Esposito's cruiser even before it screeched to a complete stop. "Beckett! Where are you?! Kate?!"

The bright beam from his flashlight cut through the darkness as he quickly scanned the small rest area, his heart hammering in his chest when he didn't see any sign of Beckett. He had been so sure, the tip had been so detailed. That had been their only lead and not to find her now…

Then she was there, stumbling down the path towards him as she cried out his name, and he ran to her and grabbed her quickly and carefully, not knowing the extent of her injuries.

He felt her shivering in his arms as he held her against him, breathing in the sweat-soaked scent of the ordeal she had just suffered.

Castle kissed her gently on the top of the head. "Kate," he breathed into her hair, careful of the dark bruise on her forehead. "I'm so glad you're okay. Please don't do anything like that again without me," he said, echoing her words to him when he had returned from Paris with Alexis.

"I thought I'd never see you again," they whispered at the same time.

"I'm sorry, Castle," Beckett said into his chest and then looked at him with utter sadness in her eyes. "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have involved you."

Castle frowned at her slightly, knowing that she wasn't talking about what had just happened and that she would tell him what exactly she meant when she was ready.

"No," he said quietly, determinedly, wrapping a protective arm around her as he guided her towards the waiting ambulance. "You don't have anything to be sorry for – the bastards that did this do. Now let's get you checked out and go home. I still owe you a dinner."

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The End


End file.
